backwards - Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

The Word “Backwards”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

The word “backwards” primarily refers to a direction or movement opposite to forward, but it can also be used metaphorically to describe regression, reversal, or a return to a previous state. It is often used to describe physical movement, actions that go in reverse, or even times when situations or progress go in the opposite direction. “Backwards” conveys the idea of something going in the reverse direction, either literally or figuratively.

Meaning of “Backwards”:

As an Adverb (Physical Direction):
- “Backwards” describes motion that goes in the opposite direction from forward, typically moving in reverse.
- Example: “He took a few steps backwards after hearing the noise.”
In Figurative Terms (Metaphorical Use):
- “Backwards” can describe a situation or progress moving in the opposite direction from what was expected or desired. It can also indicate a retreat or regression in a process, development, or understanding.
- Example: “The company’s financial situation has been moving backwards for months.”
In Time or Sequence:
- It can refer to a backward movement in time, such as reflecting on the past or retracing events or steps in reverse order.
- Example: “She looked backwards, remembering the days she spent at her childhood home.”
In Comparison (Inadequate or Primitive):
- “Backwards” may also describe something as being old-fashioned, outdated, or behind the times in comparison to current standards or advancements.
- Example: “Some countries are still considered to be backwards in terms of technology.”

Common Uses of “Backwards” in Sentences:

In Physical Contexts:
- “The car reversed backwards to make space for the incoming vehicle.”
- “She walked backwards to avoid tripping over the rock behind her.”
In Social and Cultural Contexts:
- “The country seemed to be moving backwards in terms of social progress.”
- “The traditional views of the community were seen as backwards by younger generations.”
In Technological Contexts:
- “The company was accused of moving backwards with their outdated technology.”
- “Some cultures view certain technological advances as backwards, fearing the loss of tradition.”
In Time or Sequence:
- “He tried to remember the events by thinking backwards, retracing his steps.”
- “The children enjoyed watching the film in reverse, seeing the story unfold backwards.”

Translations of “Backwards” in 30 Languages

Language	Translation	Example Sentence
Spanish	Hacia atrás	“Él dio unos pasos hacia atrás después de escuchar el ruido.”
French	En arrière	“Elle a marché en arrière pour éviter de tomber.”
German	Rückwärts	“Das Auto fuhr rückwärts, um Platz zu machen.”
Italian	Indietro	“L’auto si è mossa indietro per fare spazio.”
Portuguese	Para trás	“Ela andou para trás para evitar tropeçar na pedra.”
Dutch	Achteruit	“De auto reed achteruit om ruimte te maken.”
Russian	Назад (Nazad)	“Он шагнул назад после того, как услышал шум.”
Chinese (Simplified)	向后 (Xiàng hòu)	“他向后走了一些步骤。”
Japanese	後ろへ (Ushiro e)	“彼は後ろに数歩歩いた。”
Korean	뒤로 (Dwi-ro)	“그는 소리를 듣고 뒤로 몇 걸음 물러섰다.”
Hindi	पीछे (Peechhe)	“उसने शोर सुनकर कुछ कदम पीछे हटे।”
Bengali	পেছনে (Pechone)	“সে কিছু পদক্ষেপ পেছনে চলে গেল।”
Turkish	Geriye doğru	“Araba geriye doğru hareket etti.”
Greek	Πίσω (Píso)	“Η οδός πήγε πίσω μετά από το θόρυβο.”
Hebrew	אחורה (Akhora)	“היא צעדה אחורה כדי לא ליפול.”
Swedish	Bakåt	“Han tog ett steg bakåt när han hörde ljudet.”
Norwegian	Bakover	“Hun gikk bakover for å unngå å snuble.”
Danish	Bagud	“Han gik bagud for at undgå at falde.”
Finnish	Taaksepäin	“Hän astui taaksepäin kuullessaan äänen.”
Polish	Wstecz	“On zrobił kilka kroków wstecz po usłyszeniu hałasu.”
Czech	Zpět	“Po uslyšení hluku udělal několik kroků zpět.”
Hungarian	Hátrafelé	“Hátra lépett néhány lépést a zaj hallatán.”
Romanian	Înapoi	“A făcut câțiva pași înapoi după ce a auzit zgomotul.”
Thai	ถอยหลัง (Thǒi lǎng)	“เขาก้าวถอยหลังหลังจากได้ยินเสียง.”
Vietnamese	Lùi lại	“Anh ta lùi lại vài bước sau khi nghe tiếng động.”
Indonesian	Mundur	“Dia melangkah mundur setelah mendengar suara.”
Malay	Ke belakang	“Dia melangkah ke belakang selepas mendengar bunyi.”
Swahili	Nyuma	“Alienda nyuma baada ya kusikia sauti.”
Filipino	Pabalik	“Naglakad siya pabalik para maiwasan ang pagkadapa.”
Arabic	إلى الوراء (Ilā al-wara’)	“مشى إلى الوراء بعد سماع الصوت.”
Tamil	பின்னாடி (Piṉṉāṭi)	“அவள் ரகசியத்தை கேட்டு பின்னாடி நடந்தாள்.”
Telugu	వెనుక (Venuka)	“ఆమె శబ్దం వినగానే వెనుకకు కొన్ని అడుగులు వెళ్ళింది.”
Punjabi	ਪਿਛੇ (Pichhe)	“ਉਸਨੇ ਆਵਾਜ਼ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਕੁਝ ਕਦਮ ਪਿਛੇ ਹਟੇ।”
Mongolian	Ардаа (Ardaa)	“Тэр дуу сонсож ардаа хэдэн алхам хийгээ.”
Turkmen	Yza	“Ol ses eşidip yzyna birneme basdy.”

Additional Examples:

Spanish:
- “Después del accidente, el coche empezó a moverse hacia atrás.”
- “Ellos han retrocedido en sus esfuerzos por mejorar la situación.”
French:
- “Ils ont décidé de revenir en arrière après la réunion.”
- “La société a pris quelques mesures en arrière.”
Russian:
- “Компания сделала несколько шагов назад в своей деятельности.”
- “Они начали двигаться назад после нескольких неудач.”
Arabic:
- “تراجعت الشركة بعد أن كان لديها تقدم ملحوظ.”
- “تخطى الجميع، لكنه سار إلى الوراء بعد ذلك.”

In the word “backwards,” we encounter a concept that implies both a physical and metaphorical reversal. Whether moving away from something, retracing steps, or observing regression, “backwards” plays a crucial role in language, emphasizing reversal or retreat. Across various languages, the essence of “backwards” remains consistent, symbolizing not just direction, but a reflection on change, retreat, and movement in reverse.